Simple supply and demand. A year ago the Shields were flying off the shelves as fast as they could make them. They announced making the one millionth unit sometime mid-year last year. So they had production in high gear - mainly in anticipation of more restrictions on purchase of firearms being enacted in the near future. And people were buying them right and left at the higher price.

Fast-forward to today and sales have slowed way down since November - when the media's predictions about the election didn't come true. That means that S&W ended up with a large inventory that now isn't moving nearly so fast. They can't afford to sit on millions of dollars of inventory any more - that isn't how business works these days. So the only solution is to clear that inventory out ASAP - at drastically reduced prices (and reduced profits) - even if it means no profit - to just break-even.

The alternative is to sit on that inventory, and lay off a bunch of the production folks until it all sells. Meanwhile, if they borrowed the money to produce most of that inventory (which they most likely did) they will be paying finance charges on the debt until sales allow them to pay it off.

So yeah, they are selling them off quick and cheap right now. It is a normal consequence of the current market. People who paid more when the prices were high didn't get shafted. They just paid the premium that was being commanded by a commodity that was in high demand. Just like when a new model of a great car hits the market in limited numbers. People will pay full MSRP - or even more - just to get one. They aren't getting shafted, they are paying extra to get what they want NOW instead of waiting for supply to catch up to demand. Their choice.